06/11/2024
In Ezekiel 22:17-31 we see GOD’S disgust for the ways of the nation. They are described as impure people and those whom GOD is about to pass through the fire. Sounds very much like today's culture!
Ezekiel 22:30
“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for *someone to stand in the gap* in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, *but I found no one.*
What does GOD mean by _stand in the gap"_
Someone willing to call sin, sin
Someone willing to stand against the current culture
Someone willing to fight the righteous fight
_But no-one was willing_
An example of a hero that was willing to stand in the gap:
Numbers 25:6-11
Just then one of the Israelite men brought a Midianite woman into his tent, right before the eyes of Moses and all the people, as everyone was weeping at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
When Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest saw this, he jumped up and left the assembly. He took a spear
and rushed after the man into his tent. Phinehas thrust the spear all the way through the man’s body and into the woman’s stomach. So the plague against the Israelites was stopped,
but not before 24,000 people had died.
Then the LORD said to Moses,
“Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest has turned My anger away from the Israelites by being as zealous among them as I was. So I stopped destroying all Israel as I had intended to do in my zealous anger.
Right here, we see THE STAND (as in one willing to stand in the gap)
Many in today's culture would describe Phineas behavior as extreme, but *what are GOD'S thoughts on this?* *GOD gives Phinehas a glowing review!*
When GOD thinks of someone who will stand in the gap, He thinks of a man/woman like Phinehas.
Each one of us is called to stand in the gap for our families.
We are called to stand in the gap for the body of Christ.
Take a page from the book of Phinehas. We are called to confront and war against sin.
Psalms 106:28-31
“They joined themselves also to Baal-peor, And ate sacrifices offered to the dead. Thus, they provoked Him to anger with their deeds, And the plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and interposed, And so the plague was stayed. *And it was reckoned to him for righteousness,* To all generations forever.”
Did you catch that? “it was reckoned to him for righteousness, to all generations forever.”
When GOD revealed His displeasure that His glory be given to another, this man and woman sought to make a mockery of that.
GOD was openly and blatantly blasphemed.
PHINEHAS WOULD NOT TOLERATE IT.
His goal and objective was the glory of GOD.
And GOD’S people ought also to be zealous for GOD’S glory.
EVERY ACT OF ATONEMENT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT IS A PICTURE THAT POINTS TO CHRIST’S ATONEMENT.
Did Christ not teach us about His zeal as He cleared out the temple?
Did Christ not teach us about His zeal as He confronted the heresy of the Pharisees and Chief priests?
And on the cross, what zeal is Christ demonstrating?
A ZEAL TO CRUSH SIN.
That was Christ’s mission to come and declare war on sin and set us free from the bo***ge of sin. The cross was Christ coming to stand in the gap. That was Christ coming to defend the glory of GOD.
And therefore the _true gospel man/woman,_ who is filled with GOD’S Spirit, must understand that you are _called to do the same_ .
No, we don’t go out and kill people with a spear, but we do war against sin.
This is a call to us:
In your house, will you have zeal for the glory of GOD and the destruction of sin?
In your church, will you have zeal for the glory of GOD and the destruction of sin?
It's happening far too often in this world.
Men who run from the battle.
Men who ignore the sin around them.
Men who strive to be “non-confrontational”
Men who want to be seen as tolerant
Men who seek the approval of the world.
Men who will not “stand in the gap”.
THAT IS NOT THE GOSPEL MAN/WOMAN
Men/women, we are called to be the salt of the earth.
Be filled with GOD’S Spirit.
Be zealous for GOD’S glory.
Be eager to fight the good fight.
GOD is still asking the same question, who will stand in the gap?
Be courageous, do not conform to the customs of this world, take a stand.
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